Weightless
by MadHairGirl
Summary: Ruby Lockwood has expectations to live up to. The grandaughter of the authority on Ice types, Ruby knows this all too well. Things don't go as planned and Ruby's actions set her up for a lifetime of adventure as she runs from the life she's destined for.
1. Chapter 1

A jet blue blur floated across the green grass of the Lake of Rage. It flew across the blades, heading straight for the pink puppy who watched motionless, unable to predict where it's attacker was coming from.

"Yes! We got it this time Rocket! Keep it up and we'll-" The young girl's voice cut in an instant as the jet blue blur became visible as it tumbled through the weeds.

"No!" The girl cried, gritting her teeth. A loud, bellowing laugh came from across the makeshift battle arena in return.

"You can't even..." The opposing boy huffed and puffed, out of breath. "Your Pokemon can't..." He doubled over in laughter. "Even manage a teensy little quick attack!" The boy bellowed on some more while the girl watched her Pokemon raise itself out of the prickles and weeds.

The young girl thought quickly, rearranging her strategy.

As her opponent and his Pokemon were still laughing loudly at her Pokemon's tumble, the girl yelled "Forget about that fall Rocket! Tackle attack!"

The fresh snow Pokemon nodded in agreement before zipping off towards the pink puppy with careful jumps. He slammed cleanly into his opponent, knocking the puppy right off his little paws.

Paws wriggling in the air, the puppy let out an annoyed "Snubb! Snubb, Snubbull!" as Rocket landed back on his feet gracefully.

The boy, shocked by the swift attack and not necessarily the swiftness of the Pokemon, called out to his Snubbull.

"Snubbull, get 'em! Use thunder fang followed by tackle!"

The young girl gasped as she watched the electricity over take the blue figure before he was thrown out of the clearing's boundary line. Tensing, she waited for her beloved and faithful partner to get up, only he didn't.

She blocked out yells and shouts of joy from her opponent and the Snubbull as she ran over to her Pokemon and returned him to his Pokeball.

"You did good Rocket," She whispered to the red and white sphere.

"Hey, you owe me, kid," The boy sneered, though he was not two months older than the girl herself, he felt extremely superior, having won to someone belonging to one of the prestigious gym leader families.

The girl fished out of her pocket notes and coins, half of the small amount of money she had on her person. She handed it to the boy, who gaped at her.

"This is what I get for beating a gym leader's protege?" His face screwed up. "Humph. What a waste of my time,"

With that, the boy and his laughing Snubbull left the clearing, heading towards the famous Lake of Rage. The girl watched him go before getting up and slowly heading back down the path to the town. She stared at the Pokeball in her hands, a disappointed look in her eyes. That was the third battle the pair had lost in the last four days. If only they didn't have this extreme pressure on them both to do well...

* * *

Ruby Lockwood was a gym leader. Or, nearly. The girl was four years away from taking up the position as gym leader of Mahogany Town, settled in the region of Johto before the treacherous and chilly Ice Path and the famous Lake of Rage, raging with the almighty Gyarados.

Her grandfather was the very wise Pryce, a leading authority on all things ice. When neither of Pryce's two daughters had wanted to take over for him at his beloved gym, he had instilled a hope that his grandchildren would. And he was right.

When Ruby came along, Pryce recognised the same fiery passion he held for Pokemon within her. With that diagnosis, Ruby was placed on the pedestal of gym leader to be.

Ruby Lockwood had been under her grandfather's training part-time since the age of ten and a half. She was now twelve years old and no closer to becoming a gym leader. She highly doubted she'd make it at all as a gym leader after all these defeats.

Pushing her fringe of her face as she continued down the path to the town, she suddenly heard a quiet but stern "You were trying too hard Ruby,"

Ruby spun around out of sudden fright to face wrinkles and white hair. Only grandpa.

Hands on her hips, Ruby glared at her grandfather before spitting out "Why were you watching me?"

The older man sighed, closing his eyes. "I've told you Ruby, if you want to succeed as a gym leader, then you're going to have to train properly,"

"And what if I don't want to be a gym leader anymore Grandpa?" Ruby's ice blue eyes stared straight back at her grandfather. "Did you ever think about that?"

Pryce, out of frustration for his granddaughter, didn't say a word back. He simply left the path, heading down to the town. Ruby clenched her fists and hastily followed Pryce with glaring eyes.

* * *

Dinner was unusually uncomfortable in the Lockwood residence. Mainly because Grandpa Pryce had insisted on staying for dinner that night.

Huddled around the small rectangular oak table was Kevin and Allyson Lockwood, Ruby's parents. Both were making discreet eye contact, with Kevin wondering how long it would be until his father in law would leave.

Swinging his short legs and stuffing his face with mashed potatoes was Jasper Lockwood, nine years old and ready to be the next Pokemon master. On his shoulder sat his twin and partner in crime, a furry little Aipom who went by the name of Fidgit.

Grandpa Pryce looked furiously determined. About what, no one knew. His eyebrows just about overtook his smudgy black eyes, making it look like he had no eyes anyway. His grey hair was white, no doubt about that. Snow white.

Ruby sat awkwardly, pushing peas around on her plate. She definitely did not feel hungry after the day she'd had. She couldn't even let Rocket out of his Pokemon yet. Ruby felt completely responsible for the Pokemon's failed quick attack. In the back of her mind, she was even considering what her grandfather had said. Training properly would be great - if it was with someone other than the Grandpa Pryce.

Clearing his throat, it was Pryce who spoke up throughout the uncomfortable air.

"It is time to stop wasting the hours," he announced as he finished up his meal.

"What do you mean Dad?" Allyson replied, staring at her aging father with a unusual glance. She realised quickly that Pryce's thinking mind involved Ruby in some way.

"It is time for Ruby to train full time with me."

That statement made Ruby's jaw drop, Allyson drop her fork, Kevin nudge his wife with the intention to stop Pryce from pushing Ruby into anything she did not want to do and Jasper rolled his eyes. Again, his family neglected the idea that maybe he'd like to be the gym leader. Just because he was the youngest...

Ruby glared at her grandfather, eyes shining with fury before she pushed her chair away from the table, stood up and stomped into her room.

As she climbed the stairs to her room with the utmost fury, the idea that had been nagging away at her for the past few months popped back into her mind. An idea so radical, so disgraceful that Grandpa Pryce would be absolutely furious. If Ruby wanted to get attention, it would be the right moment to take action and put this plan of hers into progress. But it was not attention Ruby wanted, it was the chance to do something for herself. To learn from her mistakes by herself instead of being insulted, yelled at and criticized by her own family.

For Ruby to get that chance to be someone, she would have to start fresh. Start anew. Start off somewhere else...

_Jasper & Fidgit,_

_You're really annoying most of the time. Actually, all of the time. But I'm trusting you with this information anyway._

_You need to talk to Grandpa and start training to be gym leader. I can't do it, not now at least. But you and Fidge? You're definitely ready._

_Rocky and I, we're going some place where we can start again. Somewhere no one knows who I am. Somewhere I can train by myself._

_Tell Mum and Dad I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye, but I had to leave. I'll be fine though. Tell Grandpa I'm sorry._

_Thanks Jasper._

_Love Ruby and Rocky._

_PS: I took most of your savings. You should really find a better hiding place. Sorry. I'll pay you back when I'm earning the big bucks! Love again from Ruby. xox_

* * *

Seated at the back of the shabby old bus, hidden by the lack of light, Ruby stared out the tinted window to her left. The outside world rushed past in a blur. Rocket was seated next to her, his head nuzzling her arm affectionately.

"I hope this is the right thing to do Rocky," Ruby whispered, scratching the blue Pokemon on the head. Rocket started to nod but stopped.

Sighing, Ruby delved into her bag, pulling out a small rectangular photo album. In the limited light there was, Ruby could faintly make out the people and places she'd left behind. Jasper, Fidgit, her parents, Grandpa Pryce and Ruby herself all stood proudly in front of the Mahogany town gym after it was repainted two years ago. Childhood friends, picnics at the Lake of Rage and her mother's Sunflora who had passed away last year all flew by.

Ruby's memory lane run then stopped at one photo. The one photo that would be her new future. Cozy cottages with delicate and intricate flowering gardens sat on each side of a road that ran through the city. The sky was the clearest blue, stretching on forever above the city. A tall building stood its ground in the centre of the city, the king amongst all of his subjects.

Ruby turned the photo in her hands, feeling for the dented letter written in blue ink on the back of the photo. In the dim light, Ruby could make out one word.

"Saffron," she whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Finally, here's the second chapter. Things will start to pick up for Ruby (hopefully) and come to a halt for other budding trainer's in my other fics, namely Stella. Not really sure what's happening there.. Anyway, thanks in advanced for reading. :D - MadHairGirl

* * *

Goldenrod city left Ruby Lockwood lost for words. The young girl had never left her small hometown of Mahogany and the size of the maze-like big city swept her mind about. It was in this big city that Ruby found herself waiting for the Magnet train. One of the few connections between the Kanto and Johto regions, Ruby knew it was her ticket to her new start.

She was mighty scared, any youngster who'd found the small amount of courage inside themselves to leave home would be. But Ruby had with her what another may not - she had her faithful partner, Rocket, as graceful and energetic as the next Glaceon one would come across but with his own perks of clumsiness and frailty. She had the will and drive one needed in order to carry out her task which was the one thing she lacked. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, though the girl had never been remotely religious, Ruby whispered words in her head to Lugia, Ho-oh and any other legendary she could think of at that moment for she knew that they might be her only hope for something _more. _

The train rolled into the station more or less on time. Ruby held her breath for a mere moment, nodded towards Rocket who was seated beside her, his fur glistening in the late afternoon sunshine and headed for the train.

Although the Magnet train was of top quality, the ride to Ruby's destination would still take a considerable amount of time, four hours tops.

The carriage the young girl had entered was nearly empty, with an older lady dozing in her seat and a young man with a creme coloured Pokemon seated next to him were the only occupants.

Ruby smiled to herself as she saw the man's eyes widen when Rocket sauntered past him and his Pokemon, jumping gracefully onto the red velvet seat where Ruby had just seated herself but knocking his small, black nose on the booth table.

Ruby let out a giggle and Rocket's eyes turned cold as he glared at his trainer.

"Sorry Rocky," Ruby whispered. When she'd composed herself, she held her palm out to the icy Pokemon beside her. She let out a small sigh of relief when Rocket very quickly mimicked the motion of his trainer, placing his paw in her hand. A sign of respect and friendship between the pair and the only thing Ruby was thankful for that her grandfather had taught her and Rocket. Ruby did not realise how important respect was when entering a partnership with a Pokemon. These creatures had the power to do much harm a person, especially a defenseless young girl such as Ruby.

One person who did understand the risks involved in the partnership was the young man whose jaw had dropped the instant he had spotted Ruby's ice type Pokemon.

Sven Black was a Pokemon trainer and budding artist. Though his artwork was yet to appear in any magazines or galleries, Sven was dedicated to his work and to his Pokemon. The flouncing female Meowth who sat next to him, a member of Sven's team for quite some time now, had picked up a few of Sven's own unusual habits, as well as his ordinary nineteen year old male ones, which seemed unfortunate for the girlish Meowth. Fortunately, she seemed to only copy Sven's eating and sleeping habits.

Without a sound, the young man rummaged through his bag that sat at his feet, pulling out a small sketch pad and a pencil. He proceeded to sketch the unfamiliar Pokemon, trying to capture its sense of gracefulness among the chaos. He hoped his quick glances to his left were not noticeable to the Pokemon's trainer, at least not until he had finished his sketch.

To Sven's dismay, Ruby saw what he was doing. She refrained from saying anything until the unfamiliar young man seemed to have finished.

"Never seen a Glaceon before?" Ruby's voice was only just heard above the loud whistling of the train's horn as it chugged out of the station. Sven, a surprised look on his face, stared at Ruby. "I know he's meant to be kinda rare," Ruby continued. Rocket twitched slightly as Ruby stroked one of his blue diamond shaped ears affectionately.

"Never seen one o' 'em up close before," Sven's strange accent filled the cabin, along with the older lady's sudden snoring and the chugging of the train's wheels.

Sven stood himself up and made his way over to Ruby's booth, seating himself opposite Ruby and Rocket. He placed a scruffy and worn looking notebook on the table that separated them. Ruby gasped as her eyes scanned the off white paper. Sven's hurried sketch of Rocket held something more than being just a drawing, Ruby could see that. Rocket placed his paws on the table, staring at the sketch.

"You're really good!" Ruby exclaimed. Sven just smiled before he carefully ripped the sketch out of the book before handing it to Ruby.

"I'm Sven," He nodded towards the girl. "An' if I'm that good, then yer the only one t' notice," His hearty laugh echoed around them.

"Surely not," Ruby replied, staring longer at the sketch, grinning. "Thanks very much, I'm Ruby."

Sven bowed his head briefly before he motioned to his feline Pokemon to join him. The Meowth gracefully made it to his shoulder, mewing her hello in a quiet voice.

"So, where yer headed? No offence but yer don' seem like a trainer with a lot of experience," Sven smile told Ruby he didn't mean anything by it.

"That noticeable, huh?" Ruby blushed crimson.

Sven laughed again. "Nuh uh, jus' a guess."

Ruby spent the first hour of the train ride talking to Sven. He turned out to be an experienced trainer hailing from Olivine city, having several Pokemon at his disposal including a Flaaffy and a Houndoom. Having competed in the league held last year and not receiving a respectable placing, he decided to pack up and head for the Kanto region. Sven was going to try and make something of his artwork.

Many other travelers boarded the train at the rural stops, all with a variety of exotic Pokemon, some Ruby had never laid eyes upon before. Sven was frantically trying to sketch them all in his secretive way. He succeeded this time with no other passengers noticing Sven.

Ruby would be sad to leave behind Sven and his unusual Meowth. For the time they had spent together, Ruby had felt as if she wasn't alone in her journey - that it wasn't just a waste of time, like Grandpa Pryce would have said. Sven had told her that was what they all had in common, trainers. Though there were few nowadays, they all held a passion for Pokemon and adventure. It was what made them who they were and Sven truly believed that, even though he wasn't the best trainer or even fully committed to his training, his young mind obsessed with pencils and perfecting his sketching. What he was committed to was his Pokemon and Ruby admired that.

When the time came, both Sven and Ruby craned their necks, eager to catch a sight of their destination - Saffron city. Tall buildings towered around the station that the Magnet train pulled into. It was bustling with people, more so than Goldenrod's only station. Ruby gasped in awe at the sight until she could see no more, the train had finally stopped in the station, the horn tooting loud and clear.

Making sure Rocket kept close to her side, Ruby followed Sven out of the train's automatic doors. A blast of humid air shot right in her face, rustling her dark hair. Ruby blinked a few times before she looked at Sven.

"Sure you'll be alright, findin' yer aunt's place?" Sven asked. The pair made their way off the platform.

"Yeah, I think I'll be okay," Ruby replied, checking that the Glaceon was still following. The last thing she needed was Rocket disappearing in the bustling crowd.

"Well then, I'm gonna head straight for the nearest route, never much been one for the city," Sven laughed. "Good luck out there Ruby," he grinned, hoisting his bag on his shoulders. "But I'm sure yer won't need it," With one last smile, Sven, with Meowth on his shoulder, turned and left. Ruby watched him disappear in the crowd. The first friend she'd made on her journey, she hoped she'd meet up with him again one day.

A determined look on her face, Ruby called to Rocket before they headed for the opposite exit. Ruby pulled the Saffron city postcard from her bag, flipped it over and read the address on the back. Hopefully her aunt's house wasn't too hard to find.


End file.
